[A Paraphrase vppon the epistle of the holie apostle S. Paule to the Romanes ...]

The .xvj. Chapter. A Chapter of salutations. He warneth them to beware of mens doctrine, and commendeth vnto them cer∣tayne godly men, that were louers and bre∣thren in the truthe.

YEt all this notwithstanding, before I make an ende of all togither, I cōmend hereby vnto you, our louing sister Phebe: vnto whom I gladly committed the cariage of these my let∣ters, and so by hir to be directed vnto you, bi∣cause she tooke hir iorney into those partes: who hath at all times to the vttermost of hir possible power, willingly serued, & most tenderly succored the congregation of y^e faythful, that are now in Cenchrea. Praying you al ther∣fore right hartily, that you wil with good countenance receiue and entertaine hir, as shal be séemely for godly men to do: and that you wil not suffer hir to lacke any thing of yours, which shal be thought necessarie for hir. Aduertising you also, how expedient it shal be for you al to requite hir agayn with your comfort, which yet hitherto neuer ceassed to comfort both me and all others, that haue submitted them selues to the fayth in Iesus Chryst. Also, I pray you haue me now in remem∣braunce vnto Prisca, and vnto Aquila hir husbande, which is a Iew borne: bothe which, as their béeing héere in Iew∣ry dyd succour me, and were helpers to deliuer me, from the handes of the gracelesse Iewes, whyche lay in wayte to destroy me, least I shoulde prosperously goe forwardes with the preachyng of the Gospell. Who also in suche sorte

shewed their godly helpe towardes me, that for my succour and comforts sake, they willingly ieoparded their own liues, euen as they which were redy to redéeme y^e losse of my necke with the present losse of their own necks. For the which good∣nesse sake, I do not only my self most hartily thank them, but also the whole congregations of the Gentiles, partly bicause they haue deserued the same, by occasion of some others that haue ministred vnto them: & partly bicause that they thought the safety of my poore life shuld make much for their purpose, to the dayly furtherance of their christian vtilitie and profit. Nether do I send cōmendations vnto those only, but likewise also vnto their whole familie. Further, salute Epiminetes, whom I right hartily loue, bicause of his most godly conuer∣sation, & bicause also he was y^e first that I conuerted in Achaia vnto Christ. Be mindful also of me vnto Mary, which besto∣wed much godly labor & frendship vpon the saincts. Haue me cōmended vnto Androuicus & Iunia: which, as by consangui∣nitie they be allied vnto me euen, so they haue ben also with me in captiuity, & were partakers of my trobles. Both which are wel taken amōg the apostles, & among al the rest of gods louing frends, & were also before me in their conuersion to Christ. Therfore, since it is right that we honor & reuerence them that be our elders by birth: much rather then should we honor and reuerence them that be our elders in Chryst Ie∣sus. Gréete Amplias my beloued in the Lorde, bicause of his mightie and strong faythe. Salute Vrbanus a compa∣nion of myne, in the trauayles of the Gospell: and also the beloued Stachis hys fréende and companion. Salute Ap∣pelles, a man tryed in the afflictions that he suffered for Christes sake. Salute also the whole housholde of Aristo∣bulus. Haue me commended vnto Herodian my kinsman. Gréete the housholde of Narcissus: but specially all those that are newe borne to the Lorde. Salute the two wo∣men, Thriphena and Thriphosa: which doo maruellously labour to set foorth the glory of the Gospel. Salute Persis my louing frende, a woman verily that hath muche aduaunced the glory of Chryst, through hir great trauels and sorrowe.

Salute Rufus, a very perfecte man in all godly Religion: and vnto his louing mother, whom I also estéeme euen as mine owne. Gréefe Asineritus, Phlegon, Hermon, Patro∣bas, and all the reste of the brethren that be with them. Sa∣lute Philologus and Iulia his wife: Nereus and his sister: and vnto Olimpha, with al the Sainctes that be with them. Salute one an other with an holy kisse in the Lorde Chryst: which I admonish you, that ye doo it in the feare of God, both chastly, with the puritie of your hearts, and singly without al dissimulation: and that it may be amongest you no counter∣fected, but a very token of true peace and continuall concord. Moreouer, all the congregations here with vs, haue them hartily commended vnto you: whose godly loue & inwarde affection is most certaynely rooted towards you all. But this one thing (deare brethren) I require of you all, that you will diligently take héede of them that be sowers of Sectes and dissention amongest you, and doo giue occasions of euill, searching all wayes they can, through their simulation and flatterie, to seduce you into some other kind of learning, than that which you haue already receiued, and to couple togither the Iewish religion, with the holy religion of Chryst. Marke well all suche I pray you hartily, and auoyde them vtterly from you. Neither shall it be vnto you any harde thing to know them: for they doo neuer sincerely teach that which is right, neither doo they administer their office in the Gospell according to the pleasure of God, but doo onely serue their owne bellies, séeking their owne profites, and with swéete preachings and flattering wordes, they goe about to seduce rather the Innocentes and simple creatures, than holesom∣ly to reforme them. Which kinde of simple men, are surely soone turned out of the right way, through the colourable or false precepte of suche wretches vngodly Religion. Agayne touching your godly obedience, I reioyce greatly therin: for I heare it muche spoken of amongest all men and commen∣ded. And I doo the rather reioyce, bicause your obedience is the firste steppe or degrée, to go foreward•• vnto true godly∣nesse. Yet notwithstanding this same, you muste diligently

beware, vnto whom you do obey. Simplicitie verily, is high∣ly to be commended, and a goodly vertue before God: but the same, bicause it thinketh vppon no guile ne deceit, it is often∣times in déede deceiued among the deceiuers, blinded, & most wickedly seduced from the truthe. Wherfore, I wil that your simplicitie be after suche sorte, that thereby ye hurt not ne de∣ceiue any man: and againe, so wise and circumspect towardes your selues & for the truth sake, that as therby ye shal plainly sée, howe to knowe and holde faste the truthe: so to auoide the way of vnrightuousnesse, and all false deformers of the truth. Surely I am not so ignorant, but that I do very wel knowe, how amongste you there are many, that labor what they can, to stop the procéeding of Christes gospell. For some there be, which in the wickednesse of their harts, do diuersly labour the stopping thereof: as through their crueltie and persecution: some through hipocrisie: some through deceitfull and sugred doctrine: some through outward shew of holinesse in their su∣perstitious and false religion: some againe, very watchfull to drawe vs from the fréedome of Christ, and to make vs againe bonde seruauntes vnto the traditions and ceremonies of Mo∣ses. But as for you, as I trust well of Gods strengthe in you: so I admonishe you, still to continue in the obedience of the gospel: and God will at all times be ready at your handes, to fortifie your soules in the same. Whome, if you shall haue for your defence, what thing then is it, that you shoulde stande in feare off? For he being of moste might and power, will soone forcibly spurne downe and treade vnder fote, your old aduer∣sarie the diuel and Sathanas, and wil make him couche lowe and fall flat before your faces, and that very shortly doute you not. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, be with you al. Amē. Timotheus my worke felowe in preaching the holy gospell: and with him Lucius and Iason, and Socipater my kinsman, haue them all commended vnto you. And I Tertius, which wrote this same Epistle, haue me hartily commended vnto you all. Cayus mine hoste, as also the hoste to all the congre∣gations, hathe him commended vnto you. And Erastus the Chamberlaine of the citie Corinthin, hathe bene likewise cō∣mended

vnto you: and so hathe Quartus, a brother of the con∣gregations. And euen thus once againe, I pray that the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ may be with you all: whom I most hartely beséeche, that by his holy will and power, it will now fulfill and establishe all my desires in your hartes: for by his only might and good will it must be broughte to passe: but in no wise, by any helpe at all from our selues, according to the truthe of my gospell, and the preaching of Iesus Christe. By which holy gospel, the law of Moses is not vtterly abrogate: but the meaning or secreat mysterie thereof: for that which many yeares héeretofore hathe bene hid from vs, is nowe at the appoynted time, according to the sayings of the Prophets plainly opened and declared in truthe vnto vs, for oure more perfecte vnderstanding, euen the light of the gospel: and that as I saide, by the only will and commaundement of almigh∣tie God: which hath committed vnto vs the administration of the same: to the ende, that after the declaration of the gos∣pel: (by which, al superstition, and false woorshipping of ima∣ges and idolles be quite banished from vs, as also the ceremo∣nies of Moses ceassing now from henceforthe for euermore:) all creatures should wholely obay vnto only Christe by theyr true and liuely faith, and moste humbly submit them selues vnto God their father: which, for our health, is the only foun∣taine of all grace and wisedome. To whom, we all yéelde our hartie thankes, throughe the grace of hys deare sonne Iesus Christe: to whome also and the holy Ghost, be eternall glory and praise, nowe and for euermore. Amen.

Notes

• Cenchrea is a citie in Iewry.
• Acts. 18. 2. Timo. 4.
• 1. Corin. 13.
• Collos. 2. Tit. 3.
• Philip 3.
• Obedience the first step or degree to god∣linesse.
• Math. 10.
• Acts. 6. Philip. 2. Acts. 13. Acts. 20. 1. Corin. 1.
• Roma. 11.